Doha: Qatar Chamber’s Education Committee held a remote meeting to address obstacles affecting the private education sector amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The meeting was headed by the Committee’s Chairperson and QC’s First Vice-Chairman Mohamed bin Ahmed bin Towar Al Kuwari (pictured). Ministry of Education and Higher Education Undersecretary Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi and Ministry of Education and Higher Education Assistant Undersecretary Omar bin Abdul Aziz Al Nemah were also present.
The meeting touched on the reluctance of parents to pay remaining outstanding school fees for the current year 2019-2020 and the closure of educational centres and kindergartens, as well as the challenges faced in distance learning.
Attendees also reviewed the evaluation of schools in providing the distance learning process, which differentiated from ‘Excellent’ for some schools and ‘Pass’ for others.
The Ministry of Education had provided many options for private schools in case they failed to implement the process of distance learning, such as providing parents with worksheets at the end of every week.
The meeting also discussed payment of school fees and lack of cash flow, as well as parents’ reluctance to pay fees, which had negative impacts on obligations of schools.
The committee called on the Ministry of Education to activate the continuous communication and coordination between parents and schools. It suggested that schools provide support for parents through exempting them from bus charges.
‘If bus charges were already collected, they will be transferred for next year,’ the committee proposed.
Speaking during the meeting, Al Nuaimi confirmed the Minister’s follow-up to all measures to overcome difficulties faced by the private education sector.
He added that the Ministry supports the investments of the private sector, pointing out that the Ministry continues to communicate with UNESCO and other international organisations to explain the important role of the private schools in ensuring the continuation of the educational process in Qatar.
He urged private schools to take into account the current circumstances and conditions of families and parents, stressing the Ministry’s interest to support the private schools in its upcoming development plans.
Also speaking during the event, Al Nemah said that the Ministry has made available all educational materials for private schools to use in the distance learning process.
He assured that the Ministry and QC Education Committee are in continuing communication to provide support for education process during these circumstances and unite to overcome obstacles and challenges affecting the private education sector. With regard to the closure of education centres, the attendees said that it caused significant damage, noting that these centres are in pressing need for the state’s support.
The meeting also discussed the problems faced by few kindergartens, which are incapable of implementing distance learning properly.
Attendees assured that the second term’s exams will not be cancelled but they will be held online. The meeting also reviewed the study prepared by the Chamber on the dangers and repercussions of COVID-19 on the private sector in general and ways of taking advantages of it and keeping it in line with the study prepared by the Ministry on distance learning.
The study’s suggestions and recommendations are to be submitted to the concerned authorities in the state.
The meeting also witnessed the Committee’s initiative about providing technical support to educational establishments, which are not capable to provide distance learning.
The Committee stressed the importance of the Ministry’s support for private schools through accelerating the disbursement of educational vouchers to private schools to provide financial flows to support them during these current conditions. Attendees emphasised the right of private schools in the school fees as long as the school has completed the educational process through the modern technologies of remote communication.
They said that this ensures the school’s ability to meet its financial obligations to pay employees’ salaries and other financial obligations.
